Prosch, who started his career at Illinois, made an unprecedented impact as the bulldozing fullback on Auburn's 2013 Southeastern Conference championship team. He was the first fullback chosen in the NFL draft, going in the sixth round of the Houston Texan.

Prosch's departure left a major hole to fill. Fulse, who came to Auburn as a 4-star pass-catching tight end from Fort Meade, Fla., left spring practice as the leading candidate to fill it.

"I'm going to have to fill some big shoes." Fulse said. "Jay Prosch was a great football player, great blocker, great leader. He was a key to this offense last year. I feel like I can do the same job Jay did. I'm ready to fill his shoes."

The H-back in head coach Gus Malzahn's offense can be numerous things. It can be a fullback like Prosch. It can be a traditional tight end. It can be a split receiver. Fulse, at 6-foot-4 and 272 pounds, can do fill all those roles.

"I can do a little bit more than what Jay did," Fulse said. "I'm a little more versatile."

Fulse was rated the nation's No. 5 tight end in the recruiting class of 2009. As a senior, Fulse had 43 catches for 730 yards and 10 touchdowns. Even at tight end, with just four career catches, he's been more blocker than receiver at Auburn.

"I had to learn to accept that," Fulse said. "Now I just want to prove that I can do both. Coming up on my senior year, my last go-around, I want to show that I can do both."

And he wants his team to finish the job last season's team didn't finish in losing 34-31 to Florida State in last season's BCS Championship Game.

"It's important for me and my senior class to go out in style," Fulse said. "As a senior class, we have a bad taste in our mouths from the national championship game. We want to get back and go out as national champions.

"I feel like this team will get back to where we are capable of going, and this time I think we'll finish it."

Phillip Marshall is a Senior Writer for AuburnTigers.com. Follow Marshall on Twitter: